abhijithajikumar COURTESY: IELTS Write Right.
One of the four band descriptors that we will be marked against in Task-2 essay is ‘Lexical Resource’ which simply means ‘Vocabulary’. When writing IELTS Task-2 Essays, it is imperative (crucial) to use ‘Advanced’ words over ‘Basic’ ones.
The rule here is simple: ‘If you feel like writing a ‘basic word’ (in the table below) in the middle of our essay, see if its corresponding ‘Advanced word’ fit into the essay-line and write that instead’.
For instance, if you are to write ‘able to’ at some point of your essay, see if ‘capable of’ fits into the line and makes sense (this is important). If it does, use ‘capable of’.
| Sl. No | BASIC | ADVANCED |
| 1 | able to | capable of |
| 2 | About (prep) | Regarding (prep), Concerning (prep) |
| 3 | actually(adv.) | in fact |
| 4 | affect (v.), effect (n.) | consequence (n.), impact (n./v.) |
| 5 | allow (v) | permit (v) |
| 6 | And (conj) | Along with/, As well as |
| 7 | another (adj) | one further |
| 8 | argue (v) | contend (v) |
| 9 | Ask (v) | Enquire (v) |
| 10 | attractive (adj.) | appealing (adj.) |
| 11 | ban (n/v) | prohibit (v) |
| 12 | before (adv) | in the past, Prior to |
| 13 | build (v) | establish (v) |
| 14 | cannot (do) | (be) unable to (do) |
| 15 | cause (n./v.) | result in , give rise to, contributing factor |
| 16 | certainly not | by no mean |
| 17 | chance (n) | opportunity (n) |
| 18 | Change (n./v.) | Alter (v.) |
| 19 | cheap(adj) | affordable |
| 20 | choice (n.) | alternative (n.) |
| 21 | city area | urban area |
| 22 | Clear (adj) | Apparent (adj) Evident (adj) |
| 23 | complicated (adj) | complex (adj) |
| 24 | country (n) | nation (n) |
| 25 | countryside/ Village | rural area |
| 26 | damage (n) | degradation(n) |
| 27 | danger (n) | risk (n) |
| 28 | Deal with | Resolve (v.) |
| 29 | decide (v) | Determine (v) |
| 30 | Dependable (adj.) | Reliable (adj.) |
| 31 | destroy (v) | ruin (v) |
| 32 | Different kinds | Various forms |
| 33 | drug abuse | substance abuse |
| 34 | eat(v) | consume(v) |
| 35 | Enough (adj) | Sufficient (adj) |
| 36 | especially (adv) | particularly(adv) |
| 37 | example (n.) | instance (v.) |
| 38 | fall (n/v) | decline (n/v) |
| 39 | Family and friends | Loved ones |
| 40 | famous (adj) | world renowned |
| 41 | favourite (adj) | Preferred (adj) |
| 42 | fit in | adapt (v.) |
| 43 | Free (adj.) | Complimentary (adj.) |
| 44 | Get (v) | Receive (v) |
| 45 | Get sick | Fall ill |
| 46 | Give (v) | Provide (v) |
| 47 | Go with | Accompany (v) |
| 48 | good example | salient example |
| 49 | Gradual (adj) | Steady (adj) |
| 50 | growing | booming (adj) |
| 51 | harmful(adj) | detrimental |
| 52 | Have (an illness) | Suffer (an illness) |
| 53 | Help (n./v.) | Assistance (v.) |
| 54 | Higher education | Tertiary education |
| 55 | however (adv) | nonetheless, nevertheless (adv) |
| 56 | I believe/ I feel | I would argue / I would contend |
| 57 | illegal (adj) | Prohibited, illicit (adj) |
| 58 | illness | ailment |
| 59 | important (adj) | absolutely pivotal, vital (adj), crucial (adj) |
| 60 | impossible to overcome | insurmountable (adj) |
| 61 | in my view | from my perspective |
| 62 | In the past | In earlier times |
| 63 | Instead of | Rather than |
| 64 | International business | Global trade |
| 65 | international(adj) | global (adj) |
| 66 | Involve (v.) | Entail (v.) |
| 67 | involved with | associated with |
| 68 | Job (n) | occupation (n) |
| 69 | lack of moral standards | moral decadence |
| 70 | Leave (v.) | Depart (v.) |
| 71 | like (prep) | including (prep), such as |
| 72 | located | situated, placed |
| 73 | main (adj) | principal ( adj) |
| 74 | make sure | ensure (v.) |
| 75 | man (n) | male (n/adj) |
| 76 | many (adj) | countless (adj) |
| 77 | Maybe (adv.) | Perhaps (adv.) |
| 78 | more and more | an increasing number of |
| 79 | most (adj) | the majority of |
| 80 | move (n./v.) | relocate (v.) |
| 81 | Much less, Far less | Considerably less |
| 82 | Need (n./v.) | Require (V.) |
| 83 | Not enough | Insufficient (adj.) |
| 84 | Not likely | highly unlikely |
| 85 | Not surprising | Predictable (adj.) |
| 86 | obey the law | observe the law |
| 87 | Of course | Admittedly (adv.) |
| 88 | often (adv) | frequently (adv) |
| 89 | on the other hand | by contrast |
| 90 | out of control | unchecked (adj) |
| 91 | overseas (adj/adv) | abroad(adj/adv) |
| 92 | own (v.) | possess (v.) |
| 93 | Part (n.) | Component (n.) |
| 94 | pay the bill | cover the cost |
| 95 | poor quality | sub-standard (adj) |
| 96 | poorer (adj.) | less affluent |
| 97 | power(n) | domination(n) |
| 98 | powerful | potent |
| 99 | problem (n) | difficulty(n), challenge(n) |
| 100 | programme (n.) | campaign (n./v.) |
| 101 | Promise (n./v.) | Assure (v.) |
| 102 | Proven (adj) | irrefutable (adj) |
| 103 | Quick (adj.) | Prompt (adj.) |
| 104 | Realize (v.) | (be) aware |
| 105 | recently (adv.) | in recent times |
| 106 | recognise (v) | appreciate (v) |
| 107 | rich(adj), wealthy(adj) | affluent(adj) |
| 108 | right (adj) | accurate (adj) |
| 109 | rule (n.) | law (n.) |
| 110 | save (v), protect (v) | preserve (v) |
| 111 | see (v) | view (v) |
| 112 | Serious | Pressing (adj.) |
| 113 | sex (n) | gender (n) |
| 114 | Sharply (adv) | Considerably (adv), Exponentially (adv) |
| 115 | Show (v) | Reveal (v), Illustrate (v.), Indicate (v.) |
| 116 | sign(n) | symbol (n) |
| 117 | slowly (adv) | gradually(adv) |
| 118 | So (adv. /conj.) | Consequently (adv.) |
| 119 | So far | Thus far |
| 120 | social (adj.) | societal (adj.) |
| 121 | social rule | custom, social norm |
| 122 | solve(v) | resolve(v), address (v.) |
| 123 | Stage (n.) | Phase (n.) |
| 124 | Start (n./v.) | Commence (v.) |
| 125 | Stop (v.) | Prevent (v.) |
| 126 | Then (adv.), After this | Subsequently (adv.) |
| 127 | therefore (adv) | thus (adv) hence (adv) |
| 128 | Too (adv.) | In addition |
| 129 | Too low | Insufficient (adj.) |
| 130 | too much | excess |
| 131 | traditional (adj) | conservative (adj) , conventional (adj) |
| 132 | Try (v) | Attempt (n/v) |
| 133 | Unfair (adj.) | Unreasonable (adj.) |
| 134 | usually (adv.) | typically (adv.) |
| 135 | Very small, A little | negligible, Marginally (adv.) |
| 136 | view (n) | perspective (n) |
| 137 | want (v) | desire (v) |
| 138 | wealth | economic prosperity |
| 139 | Will probably | (be) likely to |
| 140 | woman (n) | female (n/adj) |
| 141 | worrying | disturbing |
| 142 | would prefer to | would rather |